The driver shortage (solved)

Right, I think ultimately a world economic system will move more towards the Chinese-Russian style of kind of a government controlled form of a capitalism where bureaucrats decide the winners and losers but let the free market play out up until that point. The world will ultimately be controlled by the "smart" people who make all the big decisions as technology plays a bigger role in doing most things for us.

So for us, before self-driving trucks, we will see more importation of drivers from poorer countries who will come here and work for less. Trump is a momentary reprieve from some of this, but I think it continues full steam when he leaves office.

I think this is what the "driver shortage" myth is really all about. At some point industry leaders will say that we just have no other choice but to bring drivers in from around the world because it is a job that Americans won't do.

 

Truck companies don’t have pay more to retain drivers because it’s easy to get new drivers. It’s easy to get new drivers because it’s easy to get a cdl. Make cdl licenses harder to get and you’ll see trucking companies start doing proactive things to retain drivers. But that’s going to be difficult when the largest truck lobbying group in Washington is the ATA. An organization that represents the industry, not the company drivers.

 

First there is no driver shortage.
Second , if there was why would you want it solved ?

 

Locals don't use elogs or autos.

 

Yes the reforms that occurred after Chairman Mao were pro free market, but it is a stretch to say they have adopted Adam Smiths principles to the extent that most western countries have.
Adam Smith didn't endorse state owned enterprises, China still has more than a few of those. Furthermore Xi Jinping has the government controled banking sector giving low interest loans to "selected, favored " companies. Not to mention the communist parties general influence in the economy. Also the government forced technology transfer as a part of foreign companies doing business in China is not out of Adam Smiths play book.

"Capitalism with Chinese characteristics" dose not really correlate with Adam Smiths philosophy.

 

Yeah and the rest of the population are just to darn intelligent to figure out what a tough job is really is.

 

I've been thinking the same thing. Ive heard and read commentators in economic and business circles theorize that the Chinese system might be superior to the current western democratic capitalistic system. We thought the Communist vs democratic capitalistic debate was settled after the fall of the USSR , China's hybrid system seems to be challenging that belief.

 

I'm sure you're talking as an economic system which succeeds globally over other models and not necessarily something that is inherently or morally good. China's hybrid model is getting them ahead on the world stage but of course the majority of their people do not benefit. Though the standard of living has risen for many.

I would still take our system even its current, corrupt form. Yet, as far as globalism is concerned, the iron fist does seem to prevail economically in the same way as militarily. Trump is challenging China, but again, I see this as a short term attempt of this administration which will be wholly abandoned by the next administration Republican or Democrat.

 

I have to admit that I am not an Adam Smith scholar so I am ready to be corrected. However I don’t think Adam Smith cared as to who owned the business, he certainly had no problem with the British East India Company. Nor did care about what type of government a nation should have. He was not a free for all libertarian that most people make him out to be. He was a nationalist.
True, there are some aspects of Smith’s philosophy that China does not follow but no Capitalist nation follows Smith’s ideas to the letter. To expect otherwise is silly.

 

well just lower the age to 18 and that means the megas will be having 19 yr old trainers ..... the 90s were great the 80s not so much and 08 till 2010 were the worse and this is looking like it may be the best period yet .... it is real easy now to get a good paying non trucking job and that is keeping a lot of people away ..... the immigrants will lower the rates by adding to the supply of drivers .. fuel keeps creeping up that could start to put a damper on things